Too Perfect For Heaven
by Hana Rui
Summary: Prequel: Twenty Four Rings And A Funeral. There is meaning in every word unspoken. RuAya.
1. Too Perfect For Heaven

**Fandom: **Slam Dunk

**Summary:** He never told her. She had never learned to nail the subtlest signs. And now its all too late for a compromise.

* * *

**Title: **Too Perfect For Heaven

**Author: **Hana Rui

**Genre: **Drama / Death-fic

**Pairing:** Kaede Rukawa x Ayako [RuAya]

* * *

Dirty white was for negligence. It was that of his jersey filthy and soiled from having missed out on weeks of laundry. The whole house seemed to have fallen prey to the same brand of sloppiness that had brought this much grime on the young jock's life.

Ayako couldn't help grimacing at the stench that wafted to her nose as she picked the heavily tainted fabric from the cluttered floor.

Icy white was for frigidity. It was that of him as he ran around the court, ball in hand and another astounding stunt on his trail. He was the most remarkable rookie anyone had ever seen—even surpassing the records set by his predecessors by a hundred miles. His desire to conquer the court seemed to have completely overshadowed his ability to feel. He had always looked tough like that. Expertly belying all the tumultuous emotions he had been bottling up inside.

She walked gingerly pass the assortment of tangible mess adorning the floor, wishing it were just as easy to stroll through the intangible ones currently harboring his heart.

Wintry white was for bitterness. It was that of his voice as he talked to her this morning on an embittered phone call that surprised her almost out of her senses. Out of her wits. She honestly didn't know he felt that way. Nobody really knew he actually felt _anything_ anyway. And it didn't help much that his face had always been as flat as though it was a porcelain mask stuck on his face; a deadpan facade too rigid to breakthrough.

She pushed open the door to his room, careful not to make a noise loud enough to disturb his sleep. But one look at the wretched figure of a man lying on the bed was enough to betray her attempt at stealth. She fell to her knees, breath coming out in sobbing gasps as she tried to get a grip on the scene that met her eyes.

Bloody white was for torment. It was that of his blanket, dappled with fresh drops of a life blessed and cursed at the same time. For no matter how great, how perfect he had become to the eyes of those who had made him God, Kaede Rukawa was really just human after all. An earthbound soul whose prominence had incited all of heaven into jealousy enough to earn him a piece of hell.

And Ayako wasn't at all glad to have taken part on this celestial conspiracy...

Ghastly white was for death. It was that of him as he lay on his bed, soaked in his own crimson blood and bitter tears. On the floor beside his bed was a copy of yesterday's newspaper where she saw herself as the delighted bride she had been standing beside the proudest looking businessman in all of Japan.

It had only been yesterday. They had been too happy to even notice one man's nonattendance, and that said man's impending doom.

Rukawa had never really taken well to defeat. And while he made wonders out of this weakness on court, real life proved to be a much tougher feat.

"Aya-chan... It wasn't your fault..."

She felt loving arms coiling tightly around her, comforting her, reassuring her. Soothing her to no avail.

For the tears just kept flowing, a searing guilt in her heart to match. She knew they would pour on forever as she thought of how she could've changed things for him—for themselves, if she had only known.

If he had only told her earlier…

If she had only cared enough to nail the subtlest signs.

But it was all too late for a compromise now. For there was the man she could've loved with all her life, his face the kindest, and the calmest she had ever seen.

A lifeless angel too perfect for heaven's mercy.

**-end-**

**Note:** _written for **52_flavours** livejournal: Theme #01 Five shades of white._

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	2. Twenty Four Rings And A Funeral

**Fandom: **Slam Dunk

**Summary:** There is meaning in every word unspoken... Prequel to Too Perfect For Heaven.

* * *

**Title: **Twenty-four Rings and a Funeral

**Author: **Hana Rui

**Genre: **Drama / Angst

**Pairing:** Kaede Rukawa x Ayako [RuAya]

* * *

**|Ring|**

"Hello, Ayako here."

"_Senpai_."

"Rukawa-kun? Is that you?

"Hn."

"Hey what's up?"

"…"

"Ru?"

"…"

"Ruru?"

"…"

"Ru-chan!"

"Please don't call me that."

"But it's the first time you rang in like, 10 years—!"

"7 weeks."

"I was only exaggerating."

"…"

"Still, seven weeks is a long time, Rukawa-kun! 7 weeks I haven't heard from you and the first time I do, you go all cranky on me!"

"Just don't call me that."

"Don't call you what, Ru?"

"_Senpai_…"

"Go on, whine for me now, Ruru."

"_Senpai_!"

"Ru-chan!"

"Y'know what, just forget about it."

"Hey, c'mon, you cranky little ace, you. Why did you call?"

"…"

"Rukawa-kun I was only kidding."

"You know I hate it when you do that."

"That's exactly why I keep on doing it."

"_'Ahou_"

"Aw, you really haven't changed much, have you?"

"…"

"Ru—kawa-kun, y'know I never mean to offend you. C'mon, speak up!"

"…"

"Besides, you should've known by now…"

"Known what?"

"…it's just my way of saying, _I miss you._"

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello, Ayako here."

"Senpai."

"Rukawa-kun? Why the hell did you hang up on me the last time?"

"Sorry."

"Never mind. So, why did you call this time?"

"I just wanted to say..."

"Oh, wait. I've got company. Call you back later, all right?"

_ I miss you, too._

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Rukawa-kun, sorry it took me a while."

"..."

"So, what was that you were gonna tell me the last time?"

"I forgot."

"It's only been a week, Ru, how can you forget?"

"You know me."

"Anyway, got something else to tell me instead? Like how's Tomigaoka? Or the team? Or your plans for high school?"

"I got an offer from Ryonan."

"Oh, cool! That's where this year's most exceptional rookie is!"

"..."

"What, don't tell me you haven't heard of Akira Sendoh?"

"No."

"You should start paying attention, Rukawa-kun."

"Who's Sendoh?"

"This year's most exceptional rookie, duh!"

"Do you... know him?"

"You're the only freak who doesn't."

"Personally?"

"What do you mean, _personally_?"

"..."

"Well, we've gone out a couple of times, if that's what you meant."

"Hn."

"I was only kidding!"

"..."

"I haven't even shaken his hands!"

"..."

"But if you decide to go there, I would finally have someone to introduce me to him!"

"Hn. I ain't going anywhere near that school."

"Hey, why not?"

"Well..." _'Coz that freak Sendoh's there..._

"Well?"

"..." _...and you're not._

"Really, Ru, you should learn to speak more often."

"It's too far."

"Oh, I should've known. Lazy as ever, eh?"

"It's getting late, _Senpai_."

"Ah, yes. I did not realize. It's way past little Ru-chan's bedtime!"

"Hn."

"Nighty-night, Ru."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Rukawa-kun! What's up?"

"_Senpai_..."

"Mom told me you called."

"Who's Ryota?"

"What?"

"Forget it."

"Where'd you hear about that guy?"

"Your mom told me."

"My mom?"

"She said you were in the hospital. Visiting some friend."

"Oh."

"Who is he?"

"Some friend."

"Is he bothering you?"

"A little. But it's not something that I can't handle."

"..."

"And definitely not something to worry your cranky little head over."

"..."

"Are you jealous?"

"Wha—No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really, really?"

"Ditto."

"Really, really, really?"

"'_Ahou_."

"Liar."

"_Senpai_?"

"Yes, Ru-chan?"

"I..."

"Hm?"

"I..." _...am._ "...gotta go."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Hey, you finally made it! I hope you did not sleep your way through the graduation rites just as you do in all of your classes."

"Very funny, _Senpai_."

"You ain't laughing, though, cranky ace!"

"..."

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it to the ceremony."

"It's okay."

"Are you mad?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really, really?"

"Are we gonna do this again?"

"Not if you don't want to."

"..."

"Hey, listen. Let's hang out tomorrow so I can somehow make it up to you, all right?"

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"I'm not mad at you."

"Let's hang out anyway."

"No."

"Is this about Ryota again?"

"No." _How come you never called me…_

"Then what is it? Why won't you go out with me?"

"..."_ …by my first name…?_

"Ru-chan?"

"I—I'll just be seeing you around."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Hey, how come you didn't tell me you were going to Shohoku?"

"You never asked."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I didn't see him anywhere."

"Who?"

"Ryota."

"Why would you be looking for him?"

"Nothing."

"You _are _jealous, aren't you?"

"No." _I was hoping..._

"Tell me the truth."

"..." ..._I wouldn't have to..._

"Rukawa?"

"I'll see you tomorrow, _Senpai_."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Rukawa-kun!"

"_S-Senpai_..."

"I was surprised to see your note in my locker."

"..."

"What kind of a question was that anyway?"

"Answer it if you want to. Forget it if you don't."

"I'll answer it."

"You really don't have to."

"I insist, though."

"Suit yourself."

"I don't know."

"..."

"I once thought I did. But I don't know anymore."

"..."

"Rukawa-kun..."

"That was all I needed to hear."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"This is an answering machine. You know what to do. BEEP."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hey, this is Ayako. I am not home at the moment. Please leave your name and number after the beep and I'll call you when I get home. BEEP."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rukawa-kun. Finally! It's been a while!"

"We've both been pretty busy, huh?"

"I guess."

"So how's the team?"

"Fine."

"That's good."

"..."

"With you as team captain, I guess there really isn't anything to worry about."

"The _do'ahou_'s still around, though."

"My, is he still giving you a headache?"

"..."

"I really shouldn't have asked."

"He still thinks he should be captain."

"You do make a good team, though. I guess it shouldn't really matter."

"..."

"Y'know, I really hate it here. I wish I could go back there and manage the team again."

"You've got Ryota."

"Really, Rukawa-kun. I'm getting tired of him following me around."

"..."

"I really miss Sakuragi-kun... and the rest of the guys."

"I bet you do."

"..."

"..."

"I wish you'd graduate soon and join me here."

"..."

"Ru-chan?"

_I miss you, too, _Senpai.

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"This is an answering machine. You know what to do. BEEP."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**|Ring|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rukawa-kun. I saw you on TV. Nice game!"

"Hn."

"I knew you were all the National Team needed to finally make it big!"

"Did I... Did I make you proud enough?"

"Are you kidding? I've always been proud of you, Ru!"

"Would you... go out with me tonight then?"

"..."

"_Senpai_?"

"..."

"..."

"It's been a while, Rukawa-kun."

"..."

"Ryota and I..."

"We're engaged."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. So please just go away. BEEP."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"Rukawa-kun... what have you been up to lately?"

"Nothing much."

"You haven't been playing for the team for 2 weeks now."

"..."

"Rukawa-kun, talk to me."

"..."

"Is this... Is this about Ryota and me?"

"No."

"Don't give me that shit, Rukawa!"

"..."

"Are you... _jealous_?"

"..."_ I have been hoping..._

"Ru?"

"..." _...I wouldn't have to say... _

"Ruru?"

"..." _...I am..._

"Ru-chan!"

"I'll see you around...Senpai."

**|Click|**

**-0-**

**|Ring|**

"Hello?"

"_Senpai_."

"Rukawa-kun? Where the hell are you, really? Why didn't you show up yesterday?"

"..."

"We were all waiting to see you. I... was hoping you'd come."

"I love you, _Senpai_."

"What?"

"I always did."

"Ru—"

"But I've always been afraid… I ain't good enough for you."

"Please don't say that..."

"Congratulations, by the way."

"Kaede!"

**|Click|**

**-end-**

**Note:** _Written for **52_flavours** livejournal: Theme #20 And I love you even through uncertainty._

_Thanks for reading! :)_


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